Pages

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Dark Chocolate Shortbread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I first made this shortbread for a friend who enjoyed afternoon tea. She also loved chocolate and challenged friends who baked to make a chocolate shortbread that would be good enough to serve at a tea she was planning as a fundraiser. Now, I must admit, the only reason I agreed to participate in the challenge was that I already had a recipe that I knew worked and I was more than happy to share it with others. The recipe originally came from Gourmet magazine and it can now be found on Epicurious, which seems to have become the repository for all of Gourmet's published recipes. If you decide to make these cookies you might want to review the comments about the recipe which you can find here. I've made this shortbread at least ten times without incident, so I thought I'd share a few things I've learned with you. Some folks have problems with the cookies spreading as they cook. I chill my dough in the freezer on thin baking sheets for 30 minutes before baking. I let it sit, for 5 minutes or so, at room temperature before docking the formed cookie dough and baking the discs. I've never had a problem with the dough spreading as it bakes. As silly as it may seem, I also make sure that the disks I bake are exactly 6 inches in diameter and religiously follow baking and cooling instructions that are given in the recipe. Again, I've had no problems. This is a lovely shortbread and I know you'll really enjoy it if I can get you to try it. It is very easy to make. Here's the recipe.

Directions1) Blend butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl with a fork until combined well. Sift flour and cocoa into butter mixture and blend with fork just until mixture forms a soft dough.2) Divide dough in half and pat out with floured fingertips into 2 (6- to 6 1/2-inch) rounds on an ungreased large baking sheet. Chill dough, uncovered, until firm, about 30 minutes.3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. while dough chills.4) Prick dough all over with fork and bake shortbread disks in middle of oven until centers are dry when touched and edges are slightly darker, about 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes, then cut each shortbread into 8 wedges with a large heavy knife. Transfer to rack to cool. Yield: 16 coookies.

I have never seen a chocolate shortbread, here in New Zealand they are all plain butter white! I am curious now and am sure that it tastes great. Thank you for the tips about chilling, baking and cooling :-)

I love shortbread with tea or coffee. This chocolate version looks really good (I'm chocolat addict)! I like the fact taht you share some of your experience with us. Thanks for all your generosity as usual. Have a good day, Mary!

I am a shortbread fan - if there's only one cookie to be made, that's got to be it. I've never tried a chocolate shortbread though. Since I have some time at home, perhaps I'll do that. I made cookies yesterday and my plan is to bake some every day to deal with the stream of people waiting to come to see The Great Dane. I'm a bit of a gate keeper right now, as he tires so easily, but soon.....

This recipe would be perfect for all the meeting I have, Mary. I'm copying it AND your suggestions right now.I so wish we had formal teas in this country. You can find it here and there and always at hotels, but day to day we just don't do it. Such a shame!(on the other hand, it's one more meal I don't need!)

I think I used a recipe almost identical to this to make chocolate shortbread tart shells... the cut and powdered sugar and photo looks so spa like and serene and "good for you". Oh, Mary! Naughty! Naughty!:)Valerie

Wow, chocolate shortbread!!! Never thought or made shortbread with chocolate. Can't wait to try this fabulous recipe of yours. Mary, this is another perfect bite for me I'm sure! Thanks for sharing! Bless you!!!

O my goodness those are gorgeous and they look absolutely delicious. I don't know if I have ever heard dark chocolate and shortbread in the same recipe but I am glad I found it here! This sounds and looks like a fantastic recipe.

I wanted to thank you for your incredibly kind comment on my blog. I appreciate it so much and I am so happy you found recipes you liked! I hope to see you back soon and I cannot wait to see more recipes on your awesome blog!

Such a stunning presentation! I love how you dipped the points in powdered sugar. And I imagine that freezing the dough for 30 minutes makes a huge difference. What a great tip! These look just delicious, my friend. I hope you are warm and happy on this cold winter night. Sweet dreams and many blessings!

Site Meter

Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third-parties nor does it store information about your visit for use other than to analyze content performance through the use of cookies, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser's settings. Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a a users prior visits to this website. Google's use of the DoubleClick cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads. This blog is not responsible for the republishing of the content found here on other Web sites or media without the owners permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice